The present invention relates to a laundry detergent powders and more particularly, to a process for improving storage stability and solubility of laundry detergent powders and to a builder agglomerate composition for improving storage stability and solubility of laundry detergent powders.
There are various detergent powders as well as processes for making detergent powders during which high density detergent agglomerates are produced using conditioned air that is inputted into the process resulting in detergent agglomerates having higher surfactant levels, improved flow properties, and a more uniform particle size distribution. There is also on-going research and development in this field to make the detergent powders not only more flowable, but to also improve the long-term storage stability and flowability, as well as improved solubility in water.
It has been extremely desirable to have a process for increasing the storage stability and solubility of detergent powders. This is a characteristic that most consumers are very desirous of because consumers do not want to have to deal with detergent powders that xe2x80x9cclumpxe2x80x9d together after the detergent box has been laid open for an extended period of time due to the inadvertent absorption of moisture. It has also been extremely desirable to have a builder agglomerate composition that can be ad-mixed into a detergent powder composition such that the builder agglomerate desirably improved the solubility and storage stability of the resultant ad-mixed detergent powder formulation. The present invention overcomes the problems, as set forth above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,646 discloses a process for making detergent builder agglomerates by mixing a detergent builder with a selected binder to form free flowing agglomerates.
The invention meets the needs above by providing a builder composition for laundry detergent powders, a process for improving storage stability and solubility of laundry detergent powders and laundry detergent powder composition.
In one aspect of the present invention, a builder agglomerate for laundry detergent powders is disclosed. The builder agglomerate has a composition, by weight percent, which includes from about 65% to about 75% aluminosilicate ion exchange material of the formula, Mn/n[(AlO2)m(SiO2)y]xc2x7xH2O where n is the valence of the cation M, x is the number of water molecules per unit cell, m and y are the total number of tetrahedra per unit cell, and y/m is 1 to 100, and wherein M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The builder agglomerate also includes from about 12% to about 18% binder selected from the group consisting of surfactants, polyethylene glycol, polyacrylates, and mixtures thereof. The builder agglomerate also includes from about 2% to about 4% sodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate and balance water. Further, the builder agglomerate is free of sodium carbonate.
In another aspect of the present invention, a laundry detergent powder having builder agglomerates incorporated therein for enhancing storage stability and solubility of the laundry detergent powder is disclosed. The laundry detergent powder has a composition, by weight percent, which includes a builder agglomerate, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium tripolyphosphate, surfactant, and water. The builder agglomerate is present in an amount in a range of from about 10% to about 25% by weight of the laundry detergent powder. Further, the builder agglomerate has a composition, by weight percent, which includes from about 65% to about 75% aluminosilicate ion exchange material of the formula, Mm/n[(AlO2)m(SiO2)y]xc2x7xH2O where n is the valence of the cation M, x is the number of water molecules per unit cell, m and y are the total number of tetrahedra per unit cell, and y/m is 1 to 100, and wherein M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The builder agglomerate also includes from about 12% to about 18% binder selected from the group consisting of surfactants, polyethylene glycol, polyacrylates, and mixtures thereof. The builder agglomerate also includes from about 2% to about 4% sodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate and balance water. Further, the builder agglomerate is free of sodium carbonate.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, a process for improving storage stability and solubility of a laundry detergent powder is disclosed. The process includes the steps of: (a) forming a builder agglomerate which is free of sodium carbonate and (b) adding the builder agglomerate to a laundry detergent powder composition. The builder agglomerate is present in an amount in a range of from about 14% to about 21% by weight of the laundry detergent powder composition. The builder agglomerate has a composition, by weight percent, which includes from about 65% to about 75% aluminosilicate ion exchange material of the formula, Mm/n[(AlO2)m(SiO2)y]xc2x7xH2O where n is the valence of the cation M, x is the number of water molecules per unit cell, m and y are the total number of tetrahedra per unit cell, and y/m is 1 to 100, and wherein M is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. The builder agglomerate also includes from about 12% to about 18% binder selected from the group consisting of surfactants, polyethylene glycol, polyacrylates, and mixtures thereof. The builder agglomerate also includes from about 2% to about 4% sodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate and balance water. Further, the builder agglomerate is free of sodium carbonate. The laundry detergent powder has a composition including sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium tripolyphosphate, nonionic surfactant and balance water.
These and other objects, features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.